Aquilegia

Collected by Daniel Winkler from Tibet, we previously erroneously listed this primitive Columbine as Semiaquilegia adoxoides - thanks to Bob Nold for keeping us honest! This spurless Columbine has dainty downturned pink-cupped flowers in late spring and early summer. Widespread in China.

Boy oh boy does this one tick the boxes that elicit pavlovian salivation. Endemic to only a few counties in Utah this extremely rare columbine grows in moist rocky crevices in its native habitat, often found hanging like a miniature sun from sheer rock faces, a performance it carries on with aplomb here in our crevice garden. Red and orange starship flowers sure to bring a grin to even the most seasoned plant veterans. 

A columbine caricatured for cuteness would be a fair assessment of this species and selection. Taking an already dwarf plant and selecting for the smallest of its kind is very Alpine gardener behavior and luckily this one plays along happily growing and seeding in our crevice garden. Buoyant light purple and white-centered starship flowers outsize in comparison to the teensy vegetative parts. Happy in colder climes but unsuited to strong summer heat.

A seedling strain from an especially robust population of this Southwestern US native Columbine. Big soft yellow flowers with characteristic extra-long spurs somehow manages to meld flash and whimsy. Easy and very nice in the garden. A Plant Select introduction out of Denver.